Page 3CJuly THE 10, NORTH 2019 THEGEORGIA NORTH NEWS GEORGIA July 10, NEWS 2019 Page 3C Coach Garrett: I’m really excited for a promising basketball season By Todd Forrest Sports Editor [email protected]

At the conclusion of the summer basketball camps last month, the North Georgia News spoke with first year head coach Corey Garrett regarding his early impressions of the squad, along with his takeaways from the Tennessee-Wesleyan and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes basketball camps. NGN: The Tennessee- Wesleyan camp in early-June was your first real contact with the guys. What was your first impression of the team based on that camp? CG: Things went pretty well considering we didn’t have as many guys as we did at our second camp. We had a solid starting five with experience, but after that, it was all fresh- men and sophomores. Overall things went well. Obviously, everything is still kind of new and fresh for everybody but a lot of the younger guys got New head coach Corey Garrett and the Panthers during a break in the action vs Towns County at last month’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes basketball camp. Photo/Todd Forrest some playing time and that’s and tried to pound opponents vice-versa? have to score in the half-court hours-a-day, twice per week. depends on who’s healthy and the main thing we were looking into submission. CG: The only team that too, but I want to see us to get When school starts, we’ll who comes out. If a lot of these to get out of that camp. CG: We definitely want beat us was Gilmer, who is very out in transition, attack the rim take off that first week before guys will stick it out and we can NGN: What was the the guys to get out and run. I good this year. But other than and get to the free throw line. getting back in the gym for two get our full team back in the main thing that you were fo- don’t want to call it “run-and- that, I thought it was a suc- NGN: Now that camps or three days a week. gym, I think we could have a cusing on at that camp? Some gun” but I want to get out on the cessful camp and things went are over and a lot of the guys Official practice begins very promising season and I’m of the players you’ve coached break and score layups. I think pretty well. are shifting into full-time foot- in October, but once school really excited about it. before but it’s been a few these guys are capable, and like I kept preaching to the ball mode, will you be hosting begins, the main thing is just We have a chance at win- years. Was it mostly a case of I said, we have all those athletes guys all summer, “everything any workouts or opening up getting reps. That’s what it’s all ning region this year. Banks getting reacquainted with the and a lot of speed. might be chaotic, you don’t the gym for the non-football about at this point. County will be the likely favor- upperclassmen and getting NGN: The second and know what I want and I don’t players? NGN: What is your ite but I see no reason why we acquainted with the younger final camp was the FCA camp. know what you guys can do, CG: Starting this week overall impression of the team, can’t be right there with them. guys? At that one you had a few but you can still get out and we’ll be in the weight room so far? With two camps under Elbert County lost a lot and CG: Yes, getting familiar more players show up and run.” We pushed it up and down on Mondays and Wednesdays. your belt, how confident are everyone else will be similar to with the younger guys is impor- only lost one game. Was that the floor and scored on a lot of We’ll be in the weight room for you when looking ahead to the what they were last year. tant for me. Also trying to get due to, not only a better turn- layups and that’s what I want to an hour, then we’ll shoot for an upcoming season? Banks will be good. But some of the guys who haven’t out, but everyone becoming see during the season. hour and play pick-up for an CG: I think it was prom- we can be pretty good too. played in a few years back into more comfortable with you and I realize we’re going to hour. We hope to get in three ising for sure. I think a lot basketball mode to see what they’re capable of. We haven’t Color Run 5K to benefit MUSA put in a whole lot this summer Go online and register for and we didn’t change a whole NASCAR 2019 Blairsville’s first EVER color By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter lot. We just tried to keep doing run 5k. This is open to kids, what Casey (Jones) has done adults, grandparents, runners, Justin Haley Wins Coke Zero 400 in the past. walkers, joggers - anyone who One thing we did focus would like some exercise while DAYTONA BEACH, FL on was transition and getting - Justin Haley was declared the getting showered in color! winner of Sunday’s postponed out and running. We have a You can register online lot of athletes on our team. We Cup Series race after an extensive now at https://endurancecui. rain and lightning delay ended the have a few wide receivers, a active.com/event-reg/select- race on lap 127 of the scheduled quarterback and a soccer player race?e=63477154. 160 laps. The win came in only his so we just tried to play to their Make sure to register by third Cup Series start. strengths this summer. August 5th to assure you get a message us and we will get you Haley led only one lap af- NGN: That’s quite a shirt and the size you would like on there! ter inheriting the lead on lap 126 contrast in styles going from as after that date it will be while All monies will go to when pitted under a girls team last season that supplies last! If you would like help kids with their individual caution after a wreck. Busch was slowed the pace, went inside to sponsor and be on the shirt registration costs. called into his pits, because his team thought green flag racing would continue. Just a few sec- onds after Busch pitted, lightning struck nearby and NASCAR put out the red flag. “It’s absolutely a blessing,” Haley said. “It’s pretty incredible that I have so many great people around me that have given me this opportunity to come here to this level and stage that we are per- Justin Haley Wins Coke Zero 400 forming on.” I watched these races as a kid ev- cast partners. I would suggest The 20-year-old was also ery Fourth of July, never could that they would like to have more the runner-up in Friday’s Xfinity come in the spring because we NASCAR content, more races, be- Series race. were growing watermelons. These cause it drives ratings.” William Byron was sec- guys right here gave me a race car Q: Do you feel your dis- ond, followed by Jimmie John- that, oh my gosh, could win a race qualification policy is working as son, , Ryan Newman, at Daytona!” it was intended? Corey LaJoie, , Matt The top-10 finishers: 1. Phelps: “The disqualifica- DiBenedetto, , and Kurt Chastain, 2. Haley, 3. Christopher tions we’ve had, we feel it’s work- Busch. Bell, 4. Austin Cindric, 5. Stephen ing the way it’s supposed to work. About midway of Stage 2, Leicht, 6. Brandon Brown, 7. Jeff I think it is a deterrent model that the big wreck, or rather several Green, 8. Gary Gaulding, 9. Jer- seems to be working. We’ve had smaller ones sent cars spinning emy Clements, 10. Matt Mills. none on the Monster Energy Cup and sliding into the outside wall Top-10 leaders after 16 of Series side. We don’t want to dis- and down into the infield grass. 33: 1. Reddick-718, 2. Bell-642, 3. qualify anyone, it’s not the busi- got into Brad Ke- Custer-637, 4. Cindric-599, 5. All- ness we want to be in, but we need selowski and knocked him into the gaier-573, 6. Gragson-526, 7. John to make sure the rules are in place wall. Keselowski’s day was fin- Nemechek-504, 8. Haley-501, 9. and that we are going to officiate ished, while Harvick was able to Annett-500, 10. Briscoe-498. this sport as fair as we can. Thus continue. Also caught up were the PHELPS SPEAKS ABOUT far, it has worked well.” cars driven by and NASCAR’S FUTURE Q: What is the feedback Daniel Suarez. NASCAR president Steve from race fans about the current and Austin Phelps spoke to a group of news package used in the Cup Series? Dillon won Stage 1 and 2 re- journalists last Friday at Daytona. Phelps: “There are sig- spectively, in a race highlighted He touched on numerous nificantly more fans who like this by car manufacturers teaming up subjEcts from the fan reaction of package then who don’t like it. with one another. Driving became the new aero-engine package to Are we going to make every fan much more aggressive as Stage 2 changing the NASCAR business happy? We will not. I wish we went on, with drivers thinking the model to future Cup Series sched- could. People like different things, race may end due to approaching ules. different styles of racing. The ma- storms. “I think the racing product jority of races we’ve had this year The Coke Zero 400 was has been exceptional,” he said. have passed the eyeball test. They originally scheduled for Saturday “The good news is, it’s not just me have for me and the majority of night, but weather forced NA- ... by and large the fans are incred- fans that we are talking to.” Union Co. Softball 2019 Summer Practice/Game Schedule SCAR to move the race to Sun- ibly excited about what they’re Racing Joke: Brad and day. The race was moving along seeing. From (a data perspective) Joey are leaving the race car shop Sunday as scheduled until lighting I’m very pleased with what the and heading home. They are riding Date Time Event Location struck nearby and cars were called 2019 racing has looked like. in Brad’s car. Suddenly Brad pulls July 9 5:00 Summer League Lumpkin County down pit road. “We are continuing discus- into a Starbucks and orders a cup 5:00 v Lumpkin Top-10 leaders after 18 sions with our stakeholders about of coffee. He asks Joey if he would 6:30 v White of 36: 1. Logano-700, 2. Kyle where we are going to race in like one, also. Busch-682, 3. Harvick-625, 4. 2021. Our broadcast partners have “No, When I drink coffee I Keselowski-613, 5. Truex-597, a voice. Our teams have a voice. can’t sleep,” said Joey. July 10 10:00 Summer Games UCHS FIeld 6. Hamlin-588, 7. Elliott-585, 8. All the stakeholders have a voice. “Really? I have the exact 10:00 v White Co Kurt Busch-564, 9. Bowman-534, The 2021 schedule is important opposite, said Brad 10. Almirola-512. to us. Our two largest voices are “Wow, seriously?” 1:00 v Lumpkin Co Sunday’s race was the last our fans and broadcast partners. “Yes, when I sleep I can’t time Daytona International Speed- We’re going to continue and study drink coffee.” July 11 5:00 Summer League Habersham Central way will host NASCAR races it and figure out where to go. That Weekend Racing: NA- on the Fourth of July weekend, a dovetails into where we are going SCAR’s Cup, Xfinity, and Truck 5:00 v Habersham tradition dating back 61 years. In to go with our sanctions. It’s very Series teams will be at the 1.5- 6:30 v Commerce an effort to change up the playoff important to us to get this right. mile tri-oval in Sparta, Kentucky picture in 2020, NASCAR will We normally announce our next for three night races. July 16 4:00 Summer League Flowery Branch begin and end its regular season at schedule on (or about) April 1. We Thurs, July 11; Truck Se- the iconic track. Daytona will play have some time here. We want to ries race 13 of 23; Starting time: 4:00 v Flowery Branch host to next year’s regular-season get this thing right.” 7:30 PM ET; TV: FoxSports1. 5:30 v Hart Co. finale on Aug. 29 and retain the Q: Is it fair to assume fans Fri, July 12; Xfinity Series tradition of holding the first race want more short tracks and road race 17 of 33; Starting time: 8 PM of the season in February. courses? ET; TV: NBCSN. July 18 4:00 Summer League Jefferson CHASTAIN WINS Phelps: “I think they’ve Sat, July 13; Cup Series 4:00 v Jefferson DAYTONA XFINITY RACE said that. We have to watch this. race 19 of 36; Starting time: 7:30 5:30 v Gainesville held off When I first came into this sport, PM ET; TV: NBCSN. teammates Justin Haley and AJ fans didn’t like road courses. They Racing Trivia Question: Allmendinger to win Friday like it now. It’s about the racing. Who is the current driver of the July 22 11:30 Summer Slam East Carroll Park night’s rain-delayed Xfinity Series Do we want to listen to what the No. 3 made famous by July 23 9:45 Summer Slam East Carroll Park race at Daytona. fans have to say? We absolutely ? entered three do. Are fans speaking loudly about Last Week’s Question: cars in a race for the first time and seeing more short tracks and road What year did win July 24 10:00 Summer Games Lumpkin County had all three cars cross the finish courses? Yes.” the Cup Series championship? An- 10:00 v Lumpkin line. Allmendinger, who made his Q: Will we see a reduction swer. It was 1989. 11:30 v White first start of the year for the team, of races in the future? Gerald Hodges is a syndi- finished third, but was disquali- Phelps: “The current think- cated NASCAR writer and author. fied after his car failed post-race ing, the way I see it, is we will His books may be viewed online July 27 6:00 Alumni Game UCHS Field inspection and placed last. not reduce the number of races in and ordered at Amazon.com. You July 27 12:00 Midnight Madness UCHS Field “Oh my gosh, we did it!” 2021. I would say it’s on the table. may contact him by e-mail at: Chastain said. “I sat here as a kid. Part of it has to do with our broad- [email protected].